NANFA-- overwintering darters
Prizma_at_aol.com
Thu, 19 Dec 2002 10:19:39 EST
sorry jim...
i know you asked me that some time ago.
i started a response and got sidetracked... here is is finished...
hey jim...
logperch, rainbows and blackbanded darters are in the cement pond... and it
is still outside! the 9' deep pool is crystal clear but very cold. in the
shallow end a temp guage reads 42. all the fish seem to stay in the 9' depths
and i suspect there is a themal layering. last year the only fish i lost was
when the big tubs placed on the sides of the pool iced over... i lost all my
least killies and topminnows.
ive got a tank setup on the patio and ive got to order a heater that turns on
if it reachs freezing. this is gonna be my observation tank. ive still got to
modify it w/ a small powerhead and i may wait til late winter to put some of
my studio tanked darters in it. i also want to try some srbd.
last year i had several species reproduce in the pool. long ear sunfish,
redbreast sunfish, blackspotted topminnows, least killies and shiners...
still small i suspect them to be spotfins. i also observed a small school of
fry alongside some big eye chubbs. i only observed them once and i suspect
they were eaten. i think they were big eye chubbs which would be cool. this
year i plan on removing predators... big sunfish, channel cats, spotted gar,
rock bass and crappies. i may leave one master predator to weed out the sick
but i want to see a lot more of the minnows and shiners reproduce.
it is fun to snorkle in it after mowing the grass during the summer. way to
cold now tho. last weekend i layed on the pool's edge w/ binoculars and
checked on everyone. when i toss feed into the pool none of the fish
respond... yet they do swim about tho slowly. cold. all the plants have died
back but the anacharis and hortwort. i want MORE plants but many species
yellowed and died during the summer. cattails are the most prolific. iris and
parrot flower, mint do ok. i cant get any lilypads to florish... these i need
to shade out portions of the pool to keep the summer temps down.
casper
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